A Harmless Ploy
by jiffy-pop
Summary: Sasuke and Naruto have a mock fight in the forest. No ninjutsu or genjutsu, just their fists and will. However, as each one wants to win more and more, things turn a little dirty (Slight SasuNaru).


A Harmless Ploy

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, but boy, would I love to. :D

A/N: Please read and review afterwards to tell me what you think. I'm always seeking improvement, so feel free to speak your mind. Just, please, no flaming.

"Right. No weapons, ninjutsu, or genjusu. In fact, no techniques at all. Just these.' Sasuke touched his arms and legs while he looked challengingly at Naruto.

"Yeah, I get it already, but if that's the case, you're not allowed to use your Sharingan either," Naruto said, raising his fists in a fighting stance.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Fine. Understood." He bent his knees slightly and put his right hand in front of his chest and his left close to his side. He closed his eyes briefly then focused his dark pupils on the blond boy parallel to him. "The first to be pegged loses."

Naruto's mouth twisted into a smirk. "Heh, understood."

"Alright then-" Sasuke began to say, but Naruto was already launching his attack.

It was a natural impulse to use his Sharingan when Naruto ran at him. Sasuke was already directing his chakra to his eyes before remembering that he must only use taijutsu in the fight. That moment's pause almost cost him a hit, as Naruto launched a violent kick attack at his head which instinct saved him from. Using his normal eyes now, Sasuke caught Naruto's fist as it shot at his face and twisted it. Naruto's other fist went out, diverting Sasuke's attention enough to release the other, as he blocked and countered with his own kicks.

The sound of the wind generated by their movements buzzed in Naruto's ears as he increased his speed and tried to attack Sasuke from behind. The counter came sharply, and Naruto barely had time to flip back and launch himself several feet away from Sasuke. The dirt and grass stung against his knees and hand as he slid himself to a stop. He glanced left then right at the trees beside them and shot towards the left. Once his hands had the trunk, he swung his body up and pushed himself with his feet off the tree and at Sasuke again.

Sasuke caught Naruto's heel with his arms. In that second Naruto took to recover, Sasuke swung his hip and slammed his leg into Naruto's side. Naruto didn't make a sound, flew back, caught himself with his hands, and then dove back into the brush. Before he was attack again, Sasuke leaped up and disappeared into the bushes on the opposite side of Naruto then ran stealthily through them and up into a tree. He hid behind a branch with enough leaves to offer good concealment and began to plan his strategy.

With all the energy Naruto put into his attacks, a ninja who didn't know him might try and wear him out. However Sasuke knew better then that. Naruto's stamina was practically inhuman. It would be to Sasuke's advantage to end the fight quickly or else _he'd_ be the one to get tired. A trap would be the best idea. Sasuke looked up at the sun and noted where it hung in the sky. The angle was just enough that if he pushed Naruto to face it directly, the glare could give him the few seconds he needed to pin Naruto. Now he had to find out where Naruto was...

Sasuke looked around the wood to see if he could discern any orange or unnatural movement. His eyes itched to use his Sharingan badly. Only a moment would be needed for him to find Naruto with it. It wasn't like Naruto could see what he did, Sasuke justified. His eyes turned red for a brief second, just long enough for him to determine that Naruto was behind a fallen log to the right of him. Dispelling it, he slunk down the tree and towards Naruto.

Naruto's back was to Sasuke when he finally approached the log. Sasuke pressed himself against the tree he was behind and inched out without a sound. If he was able to catch Naruto completely off guard, he might just win. Watching where he stepped, he boldly moved away from the tree and into the clearing behind Naruto. Something suddenly must have given him away because Naruto looked around his shoulder and saw him.

"Ah!" Naruto said in alarm right as Sasuke flew at him and tackled him. There was a sick 'thud' when their bodies hit the ground. "Damnit! Let me go!" Naruto shouted angrily as Sasuke wrestled to keep hold of him. He pinned Naruto's legs with his own and grabbing his thrashing arms before he could twist free.

A triumphant grin broke out on his face while Naruto glared murder into his eyes. "I win-"

POOWF!

The orange clad blond all at once disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Sasuke fell face first into the ground at the sudden disappearance of his opponent. _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!_ he thought just as five Narutos broke through the trees above him. _Shit!_

Sasuke used his quick speed to escape the first two clones, but was caught by the third that held him fast in time for the other two to kick him hard in the stomach.

"Yo-you cheater!" Sasuke yelled furiously. The red Sharingan glowed in his eyes as he glared at the true Naruto in front of him.

"Ha! You started it!" Naruto said back.

"You -" Sasuke glared dangerously at Naruto, distracting him just enough as he pulled out a kunai from his pack and freed himself from the clone holding him. He plunged the knife into the fake Naruto, and it disappeared into smoke. The other one was quickly disposed of in a likewise manner. Sasuke was left breathing hard and facing Naruto with his knife in hand. Putting it back in his pack, he relaxed his shoulders and waited for Naruto to do something.

"Let's go," Naruto challenged.

They both moved in an instant back to the open field and attacked each other again.

"I knew you couldn't follow the rules," Naruto shouted.

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped back.

"What's the point of being a ninja if you don't have any honor."

"You cheated too!" Sasuke kicked Naruto hard in the head, sending him rolling back several feet.

Naruto groaned and picked himself up. "I only did that because you cheated first!" He looked at Sasuke with a hurt expression in his eyes, but the afternoon sunlight glared straight into his eyes. He winced.

_Now's my chance,_ Sasuke throught. _ShiShi Rendan!_ He ran at Naruto and punched him up high into the air. He jumped up behind Naruto and launched a left kick at Naruto's vulnerable side. Naruto gave a shout of alarm and blocked it right as Sasuke pushed up above Naruto. He raised his left hand right as Naruto's own hands formed into a familiar hand seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled at six clones of his appeared right as Sasuke brought his fist down on Naruto's face. Naruto went rolling in a painful rush of arms and legs into the ground, raising dirt and grass into the air from his impact.

"Bastard!" all six of Naruto's clones yelled, attacking Sasuke in a group. Sasuke activated his Sharingan again and blocked the blows of the first two, leaping back and disposing of the two behind him. The real Naruto meanwhile got back to his feet and shouted: "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" again.

As Naruto ran with his clones at Sasuke, he noticed right in time the hand seals Sasuke was performing. He and his faster clones dove right in time from the giant fireball that enveloped the other not so fortunate clones.

POOWF! POOWF! POOWF!

Naruto heard the sound of many of his clones' defeat as he ran at Sasuke and attacked.

Sasuke had three kunai between his knuckles that he launched and used to strike down three more clones. Naruto once again threw a punch at his head that Sasuke dodged and countered. Now that he had his Sharingan activated, every move Naruto made was easy to predict. Naruto sensed this right as the remaining two clones of his jumped at him.

"Why don't you use your own eyes instead of always hiding behind that Sharingan of your's, Sasuke," Naruto and his clones taunted.

POOWF! POOWF! The last two Naruto disappeared, and Sasuke expelled his Sharingan. "Fine. Have it your way."

Naruto laughed and leaped back from Sasuke. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

More clones ran after Sasuke. Ready for them this time, Sasuke took out some shuriken and knocked their number by half. Releasing more chakira into his hands, he increased his attack and sent the rest of the clones flying back. Taking out another kunai, he turned around and threw it with deadly precision at the chest of the last remaining clone. However, instead of disappearing into smoke, the supposed clone let out a gagging sound and flew back into the ground. Blood glistened in the corners of his mouth before he hit the ground and stayed still with one knee up and the other leg flat.

Sasuke's ears were sickeningly pounding with the sound of his own rapid heartbeat as he stood frozen into place. His hand was still posed where it had been when he released the knife, and his body was still stiff, ready for another attack. However, everything around him was deadly silent and still.

A breeze picked up right as the shock of what he had done sank into him. _It wasn't a clone._ The wind blew his dark bangs into his eyes as he dropped his arms and walked shakily towards Naruto's still form. A cough erupted from the blond's throat, sounding wet and hacking. "N-Naruto-?" Sasuke said when he finally viewed the blond's pale white face. The kunai had struck him right in the chest. Blood was leaking freely from the knife wound as Naruto started coughing violently again. "Naruto...?"

POOWF!

Sasuke blinked down at the log he was about to touch, and right as his brain was able to register what had happened, he was tackled from behind by the real Naruto and pinned. _Henge no jutsu,_ Sasuke realized as he stared up at the smirking face of the triumphant Naruto.

"I win," Naruto announced smugly.

Sasuke swallowed shakily.

Oblivious, Naruto laughed fiendishly. "I can't believe you fell for it! Boy, if you could've just seen your expression! It was worth a whole week's worth of ramen! Haha, I had no idea you cared so much about me, Sasuke. I'm touched, really. Wait until I tell Shikamaru about this one!"

Naruto's face was flustered and red as he let Sasuke go from the ground. The dark-haired youth stayed there for a moment, breathing heavily as a confusion of emotions bombarded his senses. The picture of Naruto lying motionless on the ground was still being played in his mind. He had been scared, scared like he never had before, seeing Naruto dying on the ground like that, knowing that it was he who had caused it. The horrible sinking feeling he had experienced was something he hadn't felt so strongly since he lost his clan.

Finally one thought surfaced above the rest. A ploy. That horrible image of Naruto dying had just been a ploy to set him off his guard.

"I guess it just goes to show you can't underestimate the great and powerful Uzumaki-"

"Naruto!"

"Hm?" Naruto looked at Sasuke innocently and unsuspecting right up to when Sasuke's fist made solid impact with his face. Naruto went reeling back, seeing spots for a few seconds. He caught himself before he fell back and grabbed his cheek in pain. He stared in shock at Sasuke standing in front of him with fury in his eyes. "Shit! What did you do that for, Sasuke! Damnit, that really hurt!"

Sasuke came closer to Naruto, who instinctively dropped his hand and got ready for another attack. "If you wanted a rematch you should've just told me. I'd have accepted right away!"

Sasuke's hand came up and grabbed the side of Naruto's head. "No, it's not that," Sasuke said as his other hand grabbed the other side of his head, pulling him closer. Forgetting his stance, Naruto's eyes went wide at the sudden closeness of Sasuke's face to his own.

"What the hell are you-"

"Don't you ever do that to me again, Naruto," Sasuke warned, eyes dark and teeth set. There was fear in Sasuke's serious black eyes that Naruto had never seen before.

"Sasuke, I didn't mean for-" Naruto began to say.

"You don't know how scared you made me back there. Didn't you think about how horrible that'd make me feel?"

"I didn't-"

Sasuke's eyes lowered to Naruto's uninjured chest. "I'm just so glad that I hadn't- So glad that I didn't-"

The blush was rising all over Naruto's face as his stomach did funny twists in reaction to the feeling of Sasuke's closeness. "A-Alright already! Geez!" he said hurriedly, pushing Sasuke away. "I'm sorry! I won't ever do it again. Promise!"

Sasuke stepped back and placed his hands in his pockets. He lowered his head down and didn't look at Naruto. "Right," he said simply.

The stance of the rival ninja gave Naruto a feeling of deep loneliness, suddenly reminding him just how alone the both of them were. "Ne, Sasuke. What do you say to some lunch?" he asked uncomfortably.

Sasuke glanced back up at Naruto with what appeared to be a questioning look in his eyes. He nodded slightly. "Sure."

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